Monday, December 21, 2009

The Medunas moved to Morrill County, the very end of December, 2006. All neighbors gave them a fighting chance to be good neighbors. (without fighting) They were invited to brandings, and whatever neighborhood 'thing' we had. Although we're all so busy with our cattle and kids, there usually isn't too much else that goes on out here.

When Jason was building his grand entrance; the 'old school' rough-cut lumber what-ever-you-want-to-call-it 'foyer' onto 3-Strikes Ranch - we might drive by and notice him 'creating', so we'd stop to say 'hi'. I stopped one day while checking cows (he has to go thru our pasture to get to his entrance - and this was when he first moved here). He talked about having a hassle with the post office. At the present time, he had to get his mail over by Grover's.

Road lesson 101: There is a county road that goes from Alliance, NE - south to Broadwater, NE. We call it the 'Broadwater Road'. When you go from Alliance to our house, you travel on it about 7 miles south of Alliance, that is where Grover lives. Then you drive east; 4 1/2 miles to our house, 3 to Justin's, or about 2 1/2 to the former 3 Strikes. Our mailboxes are by our homes, but 'his' is over by Grovers. Has been for years. So I was actually contacting the post office guy, seeing if we couldn't get the mailbox moved to his turn-off. My point was to the post office, 'our mailboxes are at our house, and at Gilroy's; to the mail person has to come this way anyway, why not let his box be at his house?'

The road going to the left, takes you to our place and to Gilroys (which is the main road). The road you see in the center of the picture, is the turn-off that leads to the former 3 Strikes. (Now it's, 'You're Out').... The little 'Y' in the grass to the left, is where Jason wanted (and did) put his mailbox - which is on our property....but why would that be different that filming on our land and leading people to believe it was his????

Jason put the mailbox at the turn, these are our tracks going back and forth to feed birds.

When Jason and I were discussing the mailbox, I told him I didn't think that would work because when the road grader comes down the road, he is going to wipe it out. Also, when we have cattle in that pasture, they will knock it down - and we don't want any extra stuff (OK, "JUNK") in our pastures. I mentioned to Jason that he could enlarge his entrance-way so the mail person could go onto his property, deliver the mail, then turn around and drive out. It had to be accessible to them from their auto, or they do not have to deliver.

Well, one day while putting out salt and mineral in the pasture, I noticed he had already put up his 'mailbox' on our land. This is what I wish I had a picture of. I called Don on our radio.....it went something like this:

Vic, "Don, Jason has the mailbox put up where the turn is to his place." Don, "It's on our land?" Vic, "Yes, but I don't think it's going to last long, he doesn't have it staked down at all, he's got a bunch of rocks around the bottom of it to hold it up, I guess." Don, "Well, I hate to say this, but you're going to have to go tell him he's going to have to move it. It can't be there..." Vic, "You should see it, he has an old oil lamp hanging off of it, and a bunch of big, faded plastic flowers hanging on it! Wait....you don't have to worry about it, the wind just blew it over."

So that was the mailbox. Now, on August 5th of this year, Jason and Anissa Meduna take me to court to say I'm HARASSING them! They have many points they are trying to nab me with, which I'll get to later, but one of the points was the mailbox!

Courtroom: Mudna, (questioning me - oh yes, he had no lawyer, he represented himself), "What about the mailbox?..." I started to answer. My lawyer objects. I think the judge wanted to hear what I'd have to say..... The judge asks Mudna, 'What does this have to do with harassment?' Mudna, 'Intimidation, your Honor'. Judge, 'Alright, you may answer the question.' So I looked at Mudna and said, 'You must not remember this Jason, but I called the Post Office, trying to get them to move your mailbox closer to your house.' Then I looked at the Judge, and said, 'You see, your Honor, when they moved in, their mailbox is over by Thompson's at the Broadwater Road. That is what we call the main road. He has to travel about 3 miles to get his mail. I called the post office trying to have them move his mailbox closer to his house, onto his property so they don't have to go clear over there to get it. All of our mailboxes are by our houses.' The judge looked at Mudna and said, 'I guess that takes care of the mailbox.'

Mudna tried to speak, but the judge cut him off and said, 'I said, that takes care of the mailbox. Do you have any further questions?'

Thursday, December 17, 2009

The back yard, when Glen and Lucille owned the ranch. They called it the 'Kooper Kow Kamp'.

Glen and Lucille's back yard. The north side of the house.

Glen and Lucille ranched beside us for as long as I have been married to Don, and lived out here. Our friendship extends to her kids as well. Glen lost his first wife, and married Lucille, who had 1 son and 3 daughters from a previous marriage. Why am I telling all this? Hang on... One of her son-in-laws was my brother's best friend in school - so I've known them for a long time.

First of all, I say the Kooper Ranch, because something was brought to my attention. In this area, most ranches or even individual pastures are named after a particular person or family. In many cases, it's a person who homesteaded in that area. We have different pastures, each one has a name. Easier to give directions, keep records of pasture rotation, etc. For example, we have 'The Butch', 'I.D. Rhein', 'McCarthy' (guys say 'McCardy', but on the map it says McCarthy), 'Kicken' (which we sold and bought some land closer to us) - anyway... I would agree with my friend, where Meduna lived should not be remembered as '3 Strikes Ranch'. It should be spoken of as 'Kooper Ranch', and now 'Green's Ranch'. I know I say 'the former 3 Strikes', but I too, would hate to have 3 Strikes name stuck out here.

When Glen and Lucille were going to sell the place, it was not all up to them. Glen had a brother that was involved also. Glen was not well health wise, and they were going to move to town. There was such emotion through the whole ordeal, and Glen loved the ranch. Decisions were hard. Jason bought the land in December of 2006. He moved in on the 29th of December. Things moved too fast, due to the new person's demands.

Glen and Lucille's home went from tall trees surrounding the house, green grass and fenced in yard, shade all around in the hot summer, to what you saw pictured of his place during the seizure. As Glen still lived in his house, Jason thought it would be neat to let the donkeys, horses, etc run around in the yard, wherever they pleased, and he thought this would make Glen's day? Glen did not have children of his own, Lucille's kids were his kids. And they thought of him the same. They were always a very close family. Holidays, vacations, ranch time, always together. Glen loved the kids and grandkids, and they loved him.

This is before Glen and Lucille moved. Notice all the trees.

No, it's not green, but then it's in December! It was nice and green in the summer.

Our community of neighbors get together for brandings, helping each other out when working cattle, or shipping them, or moving them from different pastures sometimes. We used to have card parties more often but it seems like everyone just gets too busy. The people in this area have also sort of looked out for each other. Jason was a disruption. He wrote a letter to the family members of Lucille. This was after Glen passed away, and everyone was still grieving. It is unbelieveable how a person can sink so low as to write such things: I am not posting the whole letter, but it just gives an idea of the mind-set. Keep in mind, this was/is a very, very close knit family......

Jason wrote and said he's tried to be patient with the certain family member. However, he stated, they must need reminding of the facts. He told them the deal was with Mr. Glen Kooper not them. The kids were trying to get some money that was owed to Lucille, but he wouldn't pay, and he said that's why he wouldn't speak with them. The only problem is, Mr. Glen Kooper was no longer alive. He said the kids had nothing to do with the ranch, and they certainly did not contribute to it.

(Strange, the grandkids came and helped Grandpa Glen hay every summer, they were here for all the brandings, helped fence, repair things, etc. etc. etc)

He told them that the way they left the place was deplorable and shows just how irresponsible they are. He said that anything dealing with this property was done with Mr.Glen Kooper and is on record. He told them they brought nothing to the table except a mess to a ranch that was once beautiful. He accused the family of destroying the property.

(I don't think the above pictures look like the Kooper ranch is 'destroyed')

He told the family that everyone around here likes Glen, but had nothing good to say about his family. Then Jason actually told them that Glen sold to Jason, to save the ranch from Glen's family! He wrote that Glen told him that more than once.

(It reminds me of when Jason said when you choose to have a horse, his life depends on you, and that a true cowboy will feed his horse before he feeds himself.)

He said Glen talked to him all the time, and he accused the kids (Glen's step kids) of being disrespectful of Glen. He said he had kept quiet about all this for Glen's sake, because they would have taken it out on him!!!

(Can you believe the nerve?) Here's the corker... Jason said:

Now that he has passed on knowing someone is finally putting into the ranch instead of destroying it...I do not have to put up with any of your silliness any more. -He said all transactions were between Glen and him. He also said the family was 'Blacklisted' from the ranch.

Wow, I was amazed to say the least of this letter. The kids gave me a copy of that letter and I have permission to share.

Now, I know the grief and sadness that the family all felt. I was there. We're friends. What he did was heartless and sick and one huge lie.

Can you imagine in the summertime, where once there were huge tall trees and green grass lawns, to this? I am glad Glen would never see it in this condition. I just took this picture Thursday, December 17. This is the place after Jason owned it for almost 3 years.

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

During my blogging, I can guarantee you; nothing will be in order of date! It's just random as it comes to mind, or I should say - as it gets written. My mind is full of memories and thoughts of the 3 years of the Medunas being our neighbors. They moved in December 29, 2006. While Koopers still lived there and owned the place; he unloaded a semi full of mustangs. That was the beginning of the end.

But I'm getting off track. There was a cow left on the place when Koopers moved. To make a long story short, Koopers thought she was going to be put down because she was lame, missing a back foot and it wasn't worth it to load her up and take her to the sale barn. In the confussion of the sale, and Glen's health - the cow was left at the disposal of Meduna.

Wherever this ole' girl had been, we noticed her on Jason's meadow which borders us, in February of '09. I do need to back up here, when Koopers moved to town, there were some other cows left also, as on his web site, Jason claimed they were used to train the mustangs! (whatever) The cow was out of sight, but back now and then. I am sure she heard our tractor feeding cattle, and knew what she wished she had. I think that's why she ended up on the north side of 3 Strikes, longing for feed from a tractor. (By now, the other cows that were on Meduna's were either sold or dead) It was cold, no feed in sight.

Ah yes, Jason's web site, the 3 Strike Mustang Ranch. At one point, he claimed there were cows there, used in training the mustangs; and then he stated at another point - that there were no cows on the ranch. (maybe because that was BLM rules?)

Picture taken March 7, 2009

I saw her almost every day by the fence. I was feeling so bad, wondering if she wanted in to our meadow. Then she just disappeared. We watched for her, but she was no where in sight. I couldn't imagine her walking back to the south end, unless she was in search of water. Then one day, as I was checking our cows in a bordering pasture, there she was; along with the reason for not seeing just skin and bones before. She had a calf at her side. It was unbelievable. That explained the tummy, but when I look back at the pictures, thinking that she was probably full term - it seemed unreal that there was a baby calf inside her, waiting for it's entrance into a cold, new world. Now, the cow looked undernurished. There was little milk in her bag. How would the baby survive? But oh she loved her little calf. Eventually they made their way back along the fence to the west, back to the meadow. With snow and rain, the meadow would provide water puddles for them to drink. The grass, hopefully, would grow. Enough at least, for the cow to have food.

Can you imagine what a tough 'ole cow this is? Look at what she had on the land for choice of grazing. What a good mommy she is.

I called Lucille (former owner and friend) and told her the old cow had a calf! She hadn't know that the cow was even alive. Though legal works, it was rightfully Lucille's, but Jason would not allow anyone on the property, so how could we get her? Even when the horse seizure took place, the cow and calf remained at our fenceline. The seizure was only for horses, the cow and calf not included. A woman I met from HSUS, said she could get the pair and have them removed. Probably even get it for an adoption process to us, until the owner (Lucille) could get them, or say what to do. The problem: no one could get on the property. So I said let's wait, and not draw attention to the cow and calf. I didn't want anything to happen to them. I watched them everyday, the grass started growing and this year we had abundant rains. So for right now, the cow was ok. As time went, the horses were gone. I was afraid something would happen to the calf.

May 12, 2009 Still on 3 Strikes property. Water puddles started to dry up.

Finally the time was right, the cow and calf were directly in front of a gate that went onto our property. Lucille had proof of ownership to both the cow and calf. Without trespassing, the gate was dropped, and the cow walked right in with her calf following. It didn't take long, she gained weight, looked good. It was still hard for her to get around but she was with other cows and her little bull calf was doing well. She now was fed 'cake' and had plenty of grass and water.

July 26, 2009 - Baby bull (KOOPER) and Kooper cow (with new friends in the background)

One of our heifers that hung around alot with the Kooper cow.Notice her body condition now, amazing what a little water and some feed will do.

Monday, December 14, 2009

December 14, 2009 This is my first time 'Blogging'. Having to look up the word, "blog" -just to see what it meant, this will most likely start out a little rusty.

My desire is to write a book. Isn't that what everyone thinks, when something monumental happens in their life? A way to share their experience... I've read this is a way to start: Blogging.

So here's the boring part; my history. My name is Vicki Lynne (Odell) Freiberger. I have lived in Alliance, NE, all my life. I married a guy that I graduated with, but really never ran around with until college. We were married in 1978, and have lived on the ranch that he is 4th generation of. Our sons also reside here with their families. Justin, Allison, and their baby girl, Kimber Avery, live a couple miles west of us. Josh, Josie and their daughter, Cadence, live in the same yard as us.

We live in a wonderful 'community' with wonderful neighbors.... until a few years ago. That's what this blog is about. You have probably heard of the 3 Strikes Mustang Ranch in Alliance? Or maybe you've heard of the biggest horse seizure and rescue in Nebraska history? I shall not discuss any of that at this time; not with the court date coming in January of 2010. But around the time of the horse rescue, many MANY lies were being told about the Freibergers. I would imagine the name of Jason Meduna stands out to some, or his wife- Anissa Meduna. They used to live at the 3 Strikes Ranch. In fact, they are gone, 3 Strikes Ranch is no longer, and all the horses gone. What is left there, are some pretty vivid memories of a not too distance past (oh yes, and some chickens, ducks, and peacocks).

This is only the beginning. I am here at this time, only to set straight the rumors and lies about my family; brought on by the people of the former 3 Strikes Ranch; and their friends, (or groopies, whatever you wish to call them). There are still some who believe what the Medunas have told them. To each his own.